Alarm-latch



(No Moc lel.)

M. A. DIBBLE.

ALARM LATCH.

Patented May 20, 1890.

W21 WES 85 f7zfevzfnz- Q. m 'MMM 6 2M g iii-Mani UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTON A. DIBBLE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

ALARM-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,381, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed December 30, 1889. Serial No. 335,464. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that 1, MORTON A. DIBBLE, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and'State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Alarm-Latches. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to alarm-latches; and the object of my improvement is to provide a device to be attached to box-lids and similar devices, which shall indicate when said lids have been opened a certain number of times. I attain this object in the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the entire device. Fig. 2 is a section on the line w 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device attached to a box with the bell or gong removed. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the latch-lever, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the latch-lever with the lower portion, as shown in Fig. 4, uppermost. 4

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The device embodying my invention is intended to be attached to boxes containing cigars. To advertise a certain brand of cigars the dealer announces that every third, fifth, or tenth sale, as the case may be, will be given free. hen the box is opened to produce the third, fifth, or tenth purchase, the gong is sounded, and thus the sale to be given free to the purchaser is indicated. Each device is constructed to strike the gong when the latch. has been operated a certain number of times. The number can be learned by coupting theteeth of the wheel or by actual tria A is a portion of the front of the box.

B is the lid of the box.

0 is a metal loop, which loop is secured to the box-lid and extends therefrom in a position to be engaged by the latch K.

D is a metal plate, to which plate the operative parts of the alarm-latch are secured.

E E are hooks formed at the upper portion of the plate D, and adapted to pass over the upper edge of the front of the box to secure the alarm-latch in place.

R is a screw for securing the lower portion of the alarm-latch to the box and to prevent any lateral movement of the alarm-latch in reference to said box.

N is a standard secured in and extending from the plate D.

F is a gong secured to the outer end of the sandard N with its concave face toward the plate D. Y

H is a tongue or striker for sounding the gong F.

H is the shaft of thestriker H. The shaft H is made of resilient material and is attached at I rigidly to the plate D.

h is an olfset formed in the lower portion of the shaft H.

J is a lever pivoted upon the standard N near the plate D. Said lever is provided at one end with the latch K and at the other end with the thumb-plate j.

p is a stud extending from the lever J.

P is a spring secured at one end to the standard N and pressing at the other end upon the stud p to hold the latch K in engagement with the loop 0.

M is a ratchet-wheel adapted to revolve upon the standard N.

L L are lugs extending from the face of the ratchet-wheel M; Said lugs should be of a length greater than the distance from the plate D to the shaft H below the offset h, and less than the distance from said plate to said shaft above said offset.

S is a'pawl secured at one end to the lever J and at the other end engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-Wheel M.

Q is a spring-click secured at one end to the plate D, and at the other end engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel M O.

G are lugs for limiting the motion of the lever J.

The operation of the above-described device is as follows: When it is desired to raise the lid, the lever J is oscillated by pressing down upon the thumb-plate j. \Vhen the lever J is oscillated, the latch K is thereby withdrawn from the loop 0 and the lid is free to be lifted. When'the lid is closed, the spring P raises the long arm of the lever J, thus forcing the latch K into engagement with the loop 0.

TOO

tact with the shaft H below the offset 72, bending said shaft out of its normal position. When a lug L has been carried beyond the offset h, the striker H is released from engagement with said lug and permitted to vibrate, thus striking and sounding the gong F.

It will be noticed that by this device the gongis only sounded when the lever J has been oscillated anumber of times equal to the number of teeth between the lugs L L.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

' 1. The combination of a loop or catch C,a plate D, a lever J, having a pawl S and provided with a latch K, adapted to engage said loop, said lever being pivoted to said plate, a ratchet-wheel M, pivoted to said plate and bearing lugs L L, a gong F, and a striker I-l', secured to said plate and adapted to be oscillated by said lugs, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a box, of a loop or catch 0, extending from the lid of said box, a plate D, provided with hooks E E, a lever J,

having a pawl S, and provided with a latch K, adapted to engage said loop, said lever being pivoted to said plate, a ratchet-wheel M, pivoted to said plate and bearing lugs L L, a gong F, and striker H, secured to said plate D and adapted to be oscillated by said lugs, substantially as shown and described.

The combination of the plate I), a standard N, secured in and extending from said plate, a lever J, pivoted to said standard and provided with a latch K and bearing a pawl S, a ratchet-wheel turning upon said standard and bearing lugs L L, a click engaging with said ratchet-wheel,aspring P, secured to said standard and bearing upon said lever, aresilient striker H, adapted to be oscillated by said lugs, and agong secured at the outer end of said standard, with its concave face toward said plate, substantially as shown and described.

MORTON A. DIBBLE.

\Vitnesses:

JOSIAH B. FRosT, CHARLES B. KING. 

